In order to start the questline on the Battle for Azeroth alpha, you need to head to the Warchief's command board in Orgrimmar. There, you will find a recruitment prompt to head to Zandalar. However, it doesn't appear to work anymore.

Tides of War

As war wages against the Alliance, the need for naval dominance is paramount. The Zandalari Empire holds one of the largest fleets in Azeroth. They must be recruited as members of the Horde.

Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: Champion, the Horde is now at open war with the Alliance.Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: Our success in this conflict may depend on your skills.Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: I require your immediate presence in Orgrimmar for a mission of the utmost urgency. Do not keep me waiting.

Storming Stormwind

Upon speaking with Sylvanas, a not-implemented cutscene will play where "Sylvanas gives the mission".

Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: Your team is assembled. Retrieve my prize. Nathanos, %nNathanos Blightcaller: They are gathered on the eastern zeppelin tower. I will meet you there.

Flying up to the Eastern Zeppelin tower, you will find Rokhan, First Arcanist Thalyssra, Lasan Skyhorn, Nathanos Blightcaller and two Deathguard Elites.

First Arcanist Thalyssra: We meet again, friend.Rokhan: 'Ey, monLasan Skyhorn: Hail, friend of Highmountain'Nathanos Blightcaller: Good, we're all here. Pick a bird and get settled in. It's going to be a long flight to Stormwind.

Scenario Stage 1: In the Dead of Night

The scenario starts with assault team flying in on Skyhorn Eagles.

Nathanos Blightcaller: Listen up. We won't be in contact once we're inside.Nathanos Blightcaller: You, Thalyssra, and Rokahn will infiltrate the Stockades and extract the prisoners.Nathanos Blightcaller: Our scouts located a hidden entrance in the park. The tauren and I will cover your escape.Nathanos Blightcaller: We have no other objectives. There will be no reinforcements.Nathanos Blightcaller: If you want to live, there can be no witnesses.Nathanos Blightcaller: There's our way out. Get to that ship once you have the prisoners.Nathanos Blightcaller: I'll find you. Good luck.

Scenario Stage 2: Down the Drain

The players then unlocks a sewer hatch to unlock the Stockades.

Scenario Stage 3: The Stockades

Rokhan sneaks up ahead and players must aid the First Arcanist in catching up to Rokhan.

Rokhan: Deh 7th Legion be here. Whoever we breakin' out, deh humans not takin' chances.Rokhan: I be going' on ahead to find deh prisoners. Cover my back.First Arcanist: We will draw their attention. Be careful.

Scenario Stage 4: Honor and Loyalty

Players must then release High Overlord Saurfang out of his cell. An in-game cinematic would play here, but it is not available yet. After the cutscene, Saurfang is out of his cell.

High Overlord Saurfang: I will buy you as much time as I can to complete your mission. The ones you are looking for are just down the hall.Rokhan: Yah not comin' with us?High Overlord Saurfang: Are you going to make me?Rokhan: I don' recall hearin' dat command, now dat yah mention it.High Overlord Saurfang: Hmph.High Overlord Saurfang (To guards): Take me to your boy King. I would have words with him.First Arcanist: I do not think we will be afforded the same courtesy.Rokhan: T'ink yah right about dat. All de same, got a job to do.

Scenario Stage 5: The Primary Objective

Players must then make their way towards the other prisoners and release them.

Zul the Prophet: Ah , our escort arrives. Just as I said, Princess.Princess Talanji: My Prophet tells me you be allies.Rokhan: Prophet? Yah not dat good Zandalari--First Arcanist: We are here to rescue you. I am Thalyssra, and this is Rokhan.Zul the Prophet: A little haste would be advised.Marshal Inora Wyrmbane: Lock it down!Rokhan: Dat's some powerful voodoo. Thalyssra?First Arcanist: They're raised a nullification barrier. I cannot cast.Rokhan: MOVE!Princess Talanji: Which way is out?Rokhan: Dis way!Zul the Prophet: I would suggest going the other way, Highness.Princess Talanji: Better be right! Let's go!

Players are then ambushed by Marshall Inora Wyrmbane and the 7th Legion.

Marshall Inora Wyrmbane: You will go no further.Marshall Inora Wyrmbane: No one catches the 7th Legion unawares. Die, Horde filth!Marshall Inora Wyrmbane: Someone... stop them...Princess Talanji: It smells... unpleasant.Rokhan: Where does dis lead?First Arcanist Thalyssra: Out, if the troll is to be believed.Zul the Prophet By all means, spend more time discussing it.First Arcanist Thalyssra: We should not linger here.

Scenario Stage 6: The Stormwind City Shuffle

During this stage, players must stay beside Rukhan to remain stealthed by avoiding detector robots and Town criers and even Anduin himself!

RokhanI can keep us hidden as no one does anything' stupid. Just give de word.

Scenario Stage 7: WAY Behind Enemy Lines

Towards the end of the stealth section, players are ambushed by Genn Greymane and Worgen in a cutscene that is not available yet. However, after the supposed cutscene, Thalyrssa can be seen using Arcane magic to keep the Worgen away while Genn approaches.

Genn Greymane: I have found them, my King! I will bring you their tusks for a trophy!Rokhan: Deh old wolf got our scent. We got tah get out of here!Genn Greymane: Scurry, like the rats you are!First Arcanist Thalyssra: They were waiting for us. We've been compromised.Rokhan: We got to get back to de canals. We be easy pickin's here! Follow me!Zul the Prophet: We should wait here.Princess Talanji: What is it now?

Lady Jaina Proudmoore shows up walking very slowly and using frost magic to create a storm around her and block a path with ice.

Lady Jaina Proudmoore: I have known the Horde to be cruel, heartless. Ruthless in their pursuit of victory. But this...?Lady Jaina Proudmoore: This is folly. You will die here, and an unmarked grave will be all you have to show for it.First Arcanist Thalyssra: We cannot fight her. Run. Run!Genn Greymare: Look at them flee, tails between their legs!

Zul drops his torch in a convenient location to block the path.

Zul the Prophet: I'll just leave this here.Princess Talanji: We don't have time for-- Ooooh.Genn Greymane: They've blocked the path-- quickly, to the harbor!

First Arcanist Thalyssra: I can see the harbor!Nathanos Blightcaller: I distinctly recall saying something about witnesses. Namely, how there should be none.Rokhan: Don't act like yah not happy to see us.Nahtanos Blightcaller: Delighted. Truly. Now, let's move. On your mark.

Scenario Stage 8: The Harbor Run

Players must make their way to Talanji's ship without getting hit by Jaina's frost barrage.

Nathanos Blightcaller: I hope this goes without saying, but try not to get hit by her barrage.Nathanos Blightcaller: Stay together and we can survive. Let's go!Lady Jaina Proudmoore: That is far enough!First Arcanist Thalyssra: She has blocked the path behind us! We are trapped.Lady Jaina Proudmoore: You will not harm another soul in this city!Lady Jaina Proudmoore: Die. Horde scum!Princess Talanji: My loa hears us. Mighty Rezan, lend me your strength!Rokhan: I don't know a Rezan, but I be owing him my thanks.Nathanos Blightcaller: Let's move!

Players must then contend with forces returning from Lordaeron.

First Arcanist Thalyssra: Their forces must have returned from Lordaeron.Nathanos Blightcaller: We can't sneak through now. We'll just have to punch a hole.

Zul the Prophet: We should pause a moment.Lasan Skyhorn: Hahahaha!Rokahn: Aha! lasan you clever moose-mon!Princess Talanji: I need twenty of those birds.

First Arcanist Thalyssra: Are they not pursuing us?Nathanos Blightcaller: No... but I think I know why. Look.

Scenario Stage 9: Well... Ship

Jaina is awaiting the Horde team at the end of the docks.

Lady Jaina Proudmoore: you have killed many of my people to get this far. But it is over.Lady Jaina Proudmoore: Surrender, and I will return you to the Stockades where you belong. There you will await the King's justice.

Jaina then roots the entire team with a Frost Nova.

Nathanos Blightcaller: Respectfully, we have a boat to catch.Lady Jaina Proudmoore: Then perish.Zul the Prophet: Let us not be hasty.Zul the Prophet: You can finish us, mere pawns of the Horde, or you can quench the flames that will otherwise burn Stormwind to the ground.Zul the Prophet: Your choice.Lady Jaina Proudmoore: No... it can't be.Zul the Prophet: Tick tock.

Jaina decides to teleport back to the city to save it. In the background, you can see Stormwind burning. Click here to see the video with a timestamp.

Nathanos Blightcaller: Remind me never to make you angry.Zul the Prophet: The future is uncertain.Princess Talanji: Come. We must away to Zuldazar.Nathanos Blightcaller: I think not. I have orders to return you to the Warchief directly.Princess Talanji: Seeing as how this is my ship and you at present have no other way to leave, I suppose you will need to adjust your plans.Zul the Prophet: We can discuss it on the way, Highness.

Comments

Comment by Cyberium

Saurfang meeting with Anduin, interesting, given his history with Silithus and his dislike towards Gallywix, perhaps he's there to... offer help?

Who knows, the Mag'har might join the Alliance!

Well, that would be odd.

Comment by Xoxotl

on 2018-02-09T18:16:38-06:00

Definitely doesn't inspire me to do Suramar with any of my other Alliance characters, especially knowing that the Nightborne elves will just betray my characters.

Seems Tyrande was right after all. You really can't trust them.

Comment by vindurza

on 2018-02-09T18:34:24-06:00

and there goes another horde lore character onto the corpse pile R.I.P saurfang and %^&* the writer who treats the horde like starks just because our symbol is a wolf does not mean we need to be treated like a hollywood film dog.

Comment by Rankkor

Still as warchief, maybe not. But I'd be surprised if they killed her off. She's a fan favourite, and they tend not to kill fan favourites (Thrall being a good example)

Wrong.

Garrosh had his legion of fans, and yet he died. Vol'jin had his fanbase and he died. And Tirion was one of the best parts of WOTLK and yet he died.

If you wanna talk about tendencies with blizzard, talk about this: When they want to kill someone off, usually the whack them with the villain stick to make sure we hate them enough to not mourn their loss. Plenty of formerly good characters made 180° turns to their personality and morality into villainy.

And given the recent despicable actions undertaken by Sylvanas, she has about as many chances of making it out of BfA alive as the one black guy on a horror movie, going to check the basement by himself after uttering the phrase "I'll be right back, what could possibly go wrong?"

Comment by Drahken

on 2018-02-10T10:31:21-06:00

People, you do know you can play toons on both sides, right?

That the Horde and the Alliance are merely gameplay and storytelling constructs.

That there really AREN'T sides?

Some people, I swear.

Oh my god, this. People, seriously. Just do both sides. You're not ACTUALLY members of one faction or the other.

Oh, and also: For all the people complaining about the horde "casually showing up, infiltrating Stormwind, and embarrasing the alliance" in this scenario. You... DO know the context for this, right? Like, this takes place immediately after the Alliance shows up to one of the Horde capitals, conquers it (razes it to the ground?), and takes their military leader prisoner. They're not coming into this from a position of power. And this entire scenario is the Horde bumbling around the sewers, running for their lives, and cowering in fear from Jaina. This isn't exactly a fine showing for them.

ALSO also: Is it me, or does Zul not sound like a troll? He's way too eloquent and doesn't have the accent. There's something going on there. A deciever, somehow? Is he actually a faceless one or some other minion of the void?

Comment by Renuts

on 2018-02-10T11:11:11-06:00

These Alliance vs. Horde arguments are the equivalent to school children arguing over which super hero they think is better.

Taking sides is fine, but choosing only to look at half of the story, doesn't leave you with a very good understanding of the story as a whole. Even worse still - is trying to debate using logic, when you are heavily biased in the first place. Your emotional attachments to characters, and your hatred of others, makes you practically unable to behave rationally and objectively.

I like the whole Alliance and Horde dynamic within World of Warcraft, but for crying out loud, people take it to an incredibly annoying level. It would be nice if Blizzard could be allowed to tell their story without players reacting to it as if their lives have been completely ruined because they think one side is favored over the other.

Comment by Sweart

on 2018-02-10T11:48:20-06:00

So, the Alliance is being led by bloodthirsty racists now? Great...

Zul is a gangsta, but

“Nathanos Blightcaller: Remind me never to make you angry.Zul the Prophet: The future is uncertain.”